AUSTIN — Rocker Ted Nugent offered an apology of sorts Friday for referring to President Barack Obama as a “subhuman mongrel.”

Nugent, who joined GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott on the campaign trail this week, said he shouldn’t have used that term.

“I do apologize — not necessarily to the president — but on behalf of much better men than myself,” Nugent told Dallas-based talk radio host Ben Ferguson.

Nugent said he had used “the streetfighter terminology of ‘subhuman mongrel’ instead of just using more understandable language, such as ‘violator of his own ... Constitution.’ The liar that he is.”

Republican Gov. Rick Perry, Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Ted Cruz and others had criticized Nugent for the language, while Abbott declined to repudiate the 65-year-old musician and gun rights advocate. Democrats, including the campaign of his likely opponent this fall, Wendy Davis, blasted Abbott for standing by his decision to appear with Nugent. Among other things, they noted that Nugent once confessed to having relationships with underage girls.

Nugent suggested that he regrets that his incendiary language has been tied to Republican politicians. Cruz, for instance, sought to disassociate himself but dodged when asked whether he would campaign with Nugent in the future.

“I will try to elevate my vernacular to the level of those great men that I’m learning from in the world of politics,” Nugent said.

Ferguson, who is also a CNN commentator, told CNN that he believes Nugent “feels bad” about using the language.

Apologizing is “not something he usually does,” Ferguson said. “This gives an opportunity for Wendy Davis to raise money.”

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